A good book to read when flying (or driving) accross the U.S.

Were your holiday travel plans disrupted due to the weather? Next time be prepared for a multi-hour layover, with a long, but good book:

Annals of the Former World, by John McPhee

This book gathers five previously published titles by John McPhee, all devoted to the geology of North America. It is the item to have along when looking out the window on a flight between the east and west coasts of the United States. However, this is not a textbook, rather it is more like being able to hitch along on a road trip across the States, in the company of people who know a lot, and who tell good stories.